Posted on 03/17/2010 12:28:14 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Foreign students selected kimchi ― fermented cabbage seasoned with red pepper ― as the most representative of Korea, a recent survey showed.
``Hallyu,'' the new wave of Korean pop culture, often proves to be a key factor to pique their interest in Korea. And the longer they stay, the more they become attached to kimchi.
The survey was conducted by the Sogang University Language Education Center and asked 101 foreign students about what item they most associate with Korea.
Thirty-three of the respondents started studying Korean language because they liked its pop culture, mostly TV dramas. However, when asked what the most memorable and impressive thing in Korea was, 42 respondents picked kimchi.
Sogang University suggested that, besides the spicy flavor of the fermented cabbage, kimchi represents Korea's dinner table culture.
"Many students told me that they were impressed by our social and family gatherings, where we grill meat and eat it with a glass of soju. Unlike many parts of the world, we share the food from a big bowl, share drinks and glasses, make friends and have a great time. At the end of the day, we all end up feeling like a large family," Prof. Lee Dong-il of the center said. "Since kimchi is a staple side dish at these occasions, they link it with Korea."
Choi Jung-hwa, director of the Corea Image Communication Institute, said kimchi represents Koreans. "There is nothing like kimchi. Fermentation requires time and patience, which also applies to the characteristics of Koreans. It is also spicy yet very humble. Once you get used to its flavor you instantly notice that it is the essence of the Korean spirit.
"Also, the survey results show that people define a country by its food. Kimchi, one of the most unique foods in the world, is just right for symbolizing Korea."
Meanwhile, the state-of-the-art information and technology as electronic gadgets were the second and third things that came to their minds regarding Korea, the survey showed.
It said that pronunciation was the hardest part about learning the Korean language.
The students said their favorite Korean terms included "heobeolagae" (extremely) and "aigo" (oh my goodness).
Ping
One of my favorite foods.
More Korean than cheap phones and hair that sticks straight up?
I’ve only visited Korea a couple of times - but I love Kimchi too!
Yeah - all Hanguk smells like kimchi until you get high up into the hills.
Growing up in the military, I often heard the phrase ‘You’re in deep kimchi’.
My Dad served a year in Korea and came back with a kimchi habit. Our fridge smelled like kimchi for a year afterwards. I came to appreciate the phrase ‘You’re in deep kimchi’ more grandly after that year.
What do they mean by Kimchi. My experience is everything possible is Kimchied; which is to say pickled with heavy peppers.
Kimchi smells like.....well light a cow pie on fire and multiply that smell by 1000.
But she was amazing....
Kimchi takes many forms. I was told that the word simply meant a side-dish of some sorts.
At Ma's Shiktong in Songton (outside Osan AB), you could get about 20 versions of Kimchi. The primary version is the fermented pickled spiced cabbage - even that has two main versions - summer and winter. Ma's had the best pulgogi some 20 years ago.
Ha. Tamar would say that BYJ is the most Korean item/person!
There are about 300 different forms of kimchi but in truth anything that can be pickled can be kimchi.
You have not had a Korean experience until you have had a Soju experience.
I am hopelessly in love with grilled beef and kimchi. I LOVE IT..!
I have had many a meal in Korea and gone through something like 15 entree’s/appetizers at a sitting with all representing “something” kimchi. All of it pretty good (note, it beat cold C-rations in winter). The beef bolgi was my prefered dish as long as I didn’t see a dog being butchered behind the resturant. They also make a ramen soup which is to die for. Same soup is available in Japan and China. Very good broth.
You have not had a Korean experience until you have had a Soju experience.
I had a corporal in my platoon who was in a coma for two days because of Soju. Mean stuff. He never drank the stuff again. Smart man.
I searched a binjo ditch for 3 hours to find the 2 front teeth my buddy lost after he Soju’ed up and fell in the ditch.
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